PETONE HIGH SCHOOL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 330, 17 October 1908, Page 6

PETONE HIGH SCHOOL.

THIN EDGE OF THE WEDGE. COMMITTEE AND BOARD AT VARIANCE. There were .some lively, passages at last night's meeting of tho Pet-one School Committee when an Education Board proposal was being discussed. A letter was received from Mr. G. L. Stewart, secretary of tho Education Board, stating that at a recent meeting, when tho question of the use to bo made of the Technichal School for instruction of the school classes in manual and technical subjects was under consideration, the suggestion was made by the inspector that it might be advantageous to accommodate the secondary classes in the new building. In order that accurate information might be gained by inspection, a committee of the board visited tho Technical School, and, as tho matter was one which, in relation to the secondary classes, concerned the School Committee, it invited tho latter's chairman in order that ho might be in a better position to discuss the various aspects of tho matter when it was formally presented by letter. The suggestion of the board was that an endeavour be. made to arrange with the managers of the Technical School for occupation by secondary pupils during the day. The course of instruction in a place like Petone was more commercial and industrial than on tho old grammar school lines, and hence the association of the secondary department with the Technical School is natural, and is similar to the plan at Pahiatua.. A result of such a conjunction almost invariably was that the junior school acted as a feeder to_ the' Technical School. This was so at Wellington. There would also be a saving in administrative cost, and the country would be saved tho interest on tho large capital cost of the present District High School building. Under - this head, the board stood to gain nothing so far as tho writer was aware, but the country would. In conclusion, the writer adds: "On the ground, then, of undoubted gain in efficiency, of economy, of improved health conditions for tho children, of gain to the secondary department, of gain to the Technical School, tho board presents the above proposal to your committee with the full hope that it will receive the consideration its importance merits. The board trusts you will see your way to cooperate with it in inducing the Technical School managers to fall in with a suggestion which the board is convinced'would be advantageous to school, Technical School, and board."

"LITERARY COWARDS,"

Speaking on the subject, Mr. Cairns referred to a paragraph which. appeared in a newspapr suggesting that the chairman "crawled' to the Education Board, whereas ho was requested to be present by the members of the board. - He thought the chairman should be protected from such'a suggestion. Tho chairman: Literary men are literary oowards. They shelter behind , a screen and the likes of myself have no chance of replying at all. ' -

The Rev. A. Thomson: Wo had a hard fight when we got this building. We had to fight the Education Board and we had to get the citizens to pay the £200 necessary for the deposit, and get the Prime Minister to promise £1000 before we could take over the building. I quite agree with what Mr. Stewart said, but I question very much whether the _ communication came from the board. I think it is simply from the committee, and that it has never been brought before the board, and. when that is done it will resent the idea of making a presentation of this kind to the School Committee without consulting the parties most concerned. If the building is no longer suitable, there is plenty of land, and a building could be erected alongside the Technical School; half an acre would do. Speaking from the Technical School point of view, Mr. Thomson said-that there was ho room in the school. If the committee went half-way to meet the board) 1 they would bo blocked,' 'a's tHo council liad' giveti the site for a technical school alone. A member: This is the thin edge of the wedge to get our school away from us._ It is Butt : working against Petone every time.. The chairman: I believe we should hold on to our present building until,we make .a complaint or thoy find us a better one.' _ I move the following resolution protesting against any interference with our liberties: "That wo, the members of the Petone School Committee in meeting assembled are unanimous in our deliberations in regard to the secondary scholars in Price's building v We are satisfied that the present building" will serve Petone's requirements for. some time -to come, and when the building is. no : longer .large enough to hold the classes, we will ask the board to sell the present building and erect a new secondary school alongside the present Technical School at the Recreation Ground.. The school was given to Petone for secondary education by the late Premier, Mr. Seddon, who was then Minister for Education. We therefore strongly object to any interference with our present High School. Petone is predestined to be a great industrial centre, and of necessity we must safeguard the interests of the people. Our population in the course of very few years will have doubled, if not trebled, in numbers, and then Petone will not only liavo a District High School, but Will be entitled to the status based on the large population to a' High School proper. That we will resist to the last gasp any of our privileges being curtailed or taken away can be relied upon, and' as guardians of the and children's interests, any attempt at pushing in the thin edge of the wedge will bo determinedly opposed." This was seconded by Mr. Thomson and carried unanimously. Mr. Thomson said that it was quite competent for the board to secure- one of the finest sites in the Hutt, Valley, and they could get it on the same terms as Petone got their land. The chairman: Why not approach the council for half an acre on tho same conditions ? It seems the fashion now of authorities to give sites for school purposes, whether technical or elementary. He moved the following motion: "That this School Committeo respectfully asks, the Mayor and Councilors to grant a suitable area of land (adjacent, if possible, to tho Petone Technical School) for High School purposes, as up-to-date secondary education is only complete when the theo-' retical and practical nature of technical subjects are taught side by side with the secondary and elementary. By having the schools together, it will serve two specific purposes: one will be a complete modernised, Higli- School, the other will, safeguard the interests of the town, its children and its people, thereby conserving for posterity a high standard of education." Mr. Cairns seconded, and the motion, after discussion, was carried.